Triunfo YMCA has announced the return of Soap Box Derby and Healthy Kids Day in Westlake Village. Sponsored by the City of Westlake Village, Farmers Insurance, and others, the event is set for Sunday, April 19th, 2009.

The Soap Box Derby is being held alongside Healthy Kids Day, with an Antique and Classic Car Show, and "family fun day" with a BBQ.

These are real Soap Box Car races (e.g., cars the kids ride inside unlike Pinewood Derby). The race is for kids from 7-17, and this year again is open to all in the area to participate. Last year, there were 123 kids registered to race, and a race was completed every 1.8 minutes for 4+ hours.

Everyone is invited to attend, and the community is invited to participate as well in both the Soap Box Derby as well as the car show.

Emergency management, emergency preparedness, and disaster services are common throughout the United States—we take care of each other. By whatever name, these activities encompass mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery related to any kind of disaster, whether natural, technological, or national security. Emergency preparedness means being prepared for all kinds of emergencies, able to respond in time of crisis to save lives and property, and to help a community—or even a nation—return to normal life after a disaster occurs.

Monday, January 26, 2009

The Los Angeles Police Explorer Program was established in 1962, it has been a very successful youth program. It now operates as a "Learning for Life" program out of the Office of Operations, Community Policing and Youth Programs Section. The purpose of the Explorer program is to provide special training to the youth that are preparing themselves for a career in law enforcement.

The Shofar Award of the National Jewish Committee on Scouting, granted through the local council's Jewish Committee on Scouting, recognizes adults for outstanding service in behalf of Jewish youth in the program of the Boy Scouts of America.

The Shofar Award Subcommittee of the Western Los Angeles County Council Jewish Committee on Scouting (WLACC-JCOS) has selected eight adult volunteers this year to receive the Shofar Award, based upon written nominations submitted in their behalf and other information generally available to the subcommittee.

This year, the Shofar Award designees are:

Name

Position

Unit

District

Michael Doland

Assistant Cubmaster

Pack 233

Crescent Bay

Allison Friedman

Troop Committee Chair

Troop 613

Cahuenga

Max Goldberg

District Chairman

Cahuenga

Jean Kline

Troop Committee Chair

Troop 36

Cahuenga

Yitzchok Klutch

Scoutmaster

Troop 613

Cahuenga

Glenn Roeder

Assistant Scoutmaster

Troop 360

Crescent Bay

Claudio Sapir

Assistant Scoutmaster

Troop 36

Cahuenga

Rich Sieger

Cubmaster

Pack 613

Cahuenga

Each of them, in his or her own way, has contributed to the excellence of Jewish Scouting in the Western Los Angeles County Council: in pursuit of new chartered organizations, in sustaining and enriching existing Jewish units, in blending Jewish Scouting into non-Jewish units, in providing religious emblem opportunities to Scouts, in extending Sunday programming regionally to Scouts unable to attend on Saturdays, in support of annual Kinnusim of the WLACC-JCOS, and in so many other ways.

Saturday, January 24, 2009

This is an opportunity to participate locally in an international effort to improve our environment. Scouts and other young people from France and other countries have been participating in this program. Stephen Redner is a former Scout from Los Angeles. He is the contact person for these events. He is also president of the non-profit Association Pour la Terre headquartered in France.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Every other year Camp Emerald Bay hosts a volunteer arborist group who comes to the camp and donates their time, energy and expertise in handling the trees at Emerald Bay. This includes cutting down trees deemed to be a safety hazard, trimming trees for health and appearance, and planting new trees.

When the Arborists come they invite scout units to come join them for their work weekend. Western Los Angeles County Council is proud to offer your unit a chance to attend this weekend.

In addition to working with the arborists, your scouts will have an opportunity to participate in the following activities:

Earn the Forestry Merit Badge

Participate in a tree-climbing experience using tree-climbing gear

Arbor education presented by the Western Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture

Education on the endemic plant life of Catalina Island presented by the Catalina Island Conservancy

The First Annual Work Day Luau

This year the arborist weekend is being held February 27th - March 1st. Space is limited to 49 participants and is available on a first come, first serve basis. The cost for attending is $50 per person.

We hope you will join us for this exciting event. Please feel free to forward this information to other units that you think may have scouts interested in this opportunity.

We have 4 tickets available for the Harlem Globetrotters for February 15th. They are in the 118 section, which are great seats. Tickets are only $26 each, normal price is $40 - $70. This is one heck of a deal! Plus these tickets allow you and your Scout to attend the Globetrotter University and get a patch.

If you are interested, email me. We prefer to sell them as a set of 4, first come first served. Only 4 tickets are available.

Friday, January 16, 2009

The men and women of the Los Angeles Fire Department and their families invite you to join them for LAFD Appreciation Night, when the Los Angeles Clippers face the San Antonio Spurs at world famous Staples Center.

Imagine a world where anything is possible – an elephant in a tree, a person too tiny to see, a heroic child, and dreams running wild! Seussical creates the witty, wild, and whimsical world of Dr. Seuss as it has never been seen before.

With recent budget cuts in the arts, it is important we find quality programs that will continue to engage our young people in the creative process. MET2 is proud to be serving the San Fernando Valley for over 20 years.

The True Educational Theatre Company Designed and Directed by Educators.

I am Thomas Zachariah, a Boy Scout of Troop 10 in Reseda. I am currently leading a community service project that will benefit the patients of Children's Hospital of Los Angeles. By the request of the hospital, I will be creating personal, portable, light, and easy-to use art desks for the patients. However, because the hospital must maintain a sterile environment, the desks must be made of a special acrylic plastic called Plexiglas. Due to the costs of the professional help that will be required to make the desks, and art supplies that I will also be donating, overall costs for the project will be around $3,000. To achieve these ends I kindly request your help in funding this effort. The estimated cost per child is $120 which would cover the costs for a desk and a set of art supplies. You may sponsor one or more patients' materials, or make a donation for an amount of your choice. Every donation is tax deductible and highly appreciated. If you have any questions, please email me at tipzeem@yahoo.com or call me at (818) 888-3368. Thank you for your time and generosity.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Troop 99 is organizing a trip to China for 10 days. Please see the itinerary and payment schedule. Please contact Sue Lin of Travel Unlimited or John Overton, Soutmaster Troop 99, to sign up and get any questions answered. We leave Aug 14, 2009 and return Aug 23, 2009.

What better way is there to check out a Troop than a campout? Meet the Scouts and see if Troop 10 is right for you. If you have achievements to need to finish for your Arrow of Light or Webelos badge, let us know and we will add that activity to our day.

Lots of activities are planned for Saturday. Dinner will be provided Saturday night as well as breakfast Sunday morning. Please bring a bag lunch and your own snacks and beverages for Saturday.

This is a great chance for Webelos to get their outing achievement taken care of, as well as for parents to meet the Scouts and adult leaders of a prospective troop. There is no cost for Webelos and their families. To sign up, please contact Leo Clarke at Troop 10.

Not sure if you want to commit to a campout? Come by any regular Troop 10 meeting for more information. Troop 10 meets every Monday at 7:00pm at the First United Methodist Church on the Southwest corner of Lindley and Saticoy, enter parking lot on Lindley. Webelos and parents are welcome.

I know Sunday is Super Bowl Sunday but we will be done early and home in plenty of time to get ready for the game.

Here is Climbing Instructor Class information for the Verdugo Hills and West Los Angeles Councils. This is open to all registered Scout adults in the Verdugo Hills and WLA area councils. I need 5-12 students to teach this class.

The cost is $60 which includes: books, materials, and belay training. It does NOT include 1 day Rock Training or 2 days Student led trip to Josh.

Classroom sessions 1 will be on Wed 1/21, class 2-5 will be on Thurs night 7pm - 10pm (maybe till 10:30), on: 1/29, 2/5, 2/12, 2/19, (3/5 is a backup date). The location is the LAAC Scout HQ off the 101 at Alvarado.

Session 6 Belay Class will be at the LA Rocks (indoor gym) in Hawthorne or REI Manhattan Beach on 2/26. (cost is included in my charge)

Session 7 Rock Training at Stoney Point will be 3/7 OR 3/8, it's up to the students.

Session 8 Student led trip to Joshua Tree Indian Cove with their Troop, 3/14-15 or 4/11-12 or 4/25-26, it's up to the students to plan and execute.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

This is going to be another great year for the OA. The Lodge is working on several great events this year, plus 2009 is NOAC (National Order of the Arrow Conference) Year to be held at Indiana University.

Also, if you haven't heard the news yet... one of our Arrowmen from our chapter, Jordan Orlick, was recently elected and installed as the 2009 Malibu Lodge Chief. A hearty congratulations to him and to our chapter!

Jordan will be at this Thursday's Achoicominga Chapter meeting to talk about NOAC, the Lodge, meet you and answer questions you may have about the OA.

Our chapter Chief Gregory Trenk has been busy preparing a list of possible activities for our chapter this year to discuss at the meeting, including a chapter camping trip.

When we evacuated, it was easy to get our dog out quickly and put her in the car, but we could not find our cat for several days and did not know if she was in the house at the time or not.

Fortunately, we got her back after three long days of sadness and uncertainty of her whereabouts.

We also did not have the basic provisions for our dog like her bowl, food, leash and grooming supplies, or any medication that she needed.

I can say from experience that our dog did go through her own traumatic experience, as she did not stop breathing (panting) heavily for three days, and was in fact very stressed, just as we as humans were.

If you have pets, please visit this site to educate yourselves on how to prepare your survival kit for your pet(s).

It's one thing to Be Prepared for yourselves and another for your pets.

Pets offer families unconditional love and attention - something we as humans sometimes forget we need to give to one another as humans.

I wish I had taken our pets needs into consideration when we assembled our earthquake bin, as it would have made it easier for us to provide the same comfort to them as we did for ourselves.

If you don't already have a disaster preparedness plan and Survival Bin in place, simply remember the Scout motto of Being Prepared.